Plan! Plan! Plan! VISUALIZE exactly what your characters will say and do. Take setting into account. Obviously you can only film on school grounds, so think about a place woth few distraction.
Get ideas everywhere! When you watch TV, videos, movies; look at them from a filmmaker's point of view. Even the characters in Learning Upgrade can be engaging! How do they do that?
GET CLOSE! The microphone in your computer/camera/phone hears all sounds equally. If you have characters who are speaking, stand close. Also pay attention to background noises such as cars, fans, and people talking. They say "quiet on the set" for a reason.
BE STILL! A cameraperson must be as steady as possible. Think "Mountain Pose." Avoid camera movement unless it is a careful pan or tilt. If you have a camera with a zoom lens, it's usually best not to zoom while you are shooting. (Thoughtful use of zoom can be effective, as in a "reveal" shot.
Editing
Your shots can be shorter than you think! You might ask yourself "what's the least I can show here and have my audience 'get' what I want them to get?" Watch a commercial and notice how many shots are one-second long or less.
Listen! Plug your headphones in when editing. Listen carefully to the sound. Your audience should not have to adjust the volume after your movie starts.
Three Steps:
Planning
Plan! Plan! Plan! VISUALIZE exactly what your characters will say and do. Take setting into account. Obviously you can only film on school grounds, so think about a place woth few distraction.Get ideas everywhere! When you watch TV, videos, movies; look at them from a filmmaker's point of view. Even the characters in Learning Upgrade can be engaging! How do they do that?
Guide for Young Filmmakers (PDF)
Shooting
GET CLOSE! The microphone in your computer/camera/phone hears all sounds equally. If you have characters who are speaking, stand close. Also pay attention to background noises such as cars, fans, and people talking. They say "quiet on the set" for a reason.
BE STILL! A cameraperson must be as steady as possible. Think "Mountain Pose." Avoid camera movement unless it is a careful pan or tilt. If you have a camera with a zoom lens, it's usually best not to zoom while you are shooting. (Thoughtful use of zoom can be effective, as in a "reveal" shot.
Editing
Your shots can be shorter than you think! You might ask yourself "what's the least I can show here and have my audience 'get' what I want them to get?" Watch a commercial and notice how many shots are one-second long or less.
Listen! Plug your headphones in when editing. Listen carefully to the sound. Your audience should not have to adjust the volume after your movie starts.